INTRODUCTION. xiii 
8,000 or 9,000 feet. Within this tract is the military station of Sabathoo, elevated 
4,200 feet, many hill-forts, and the summer residences of Simla 7,486, Mussooree 
6,700, and Lundour at 7,559 feet of elevation. Many of the mountains, however, 
included in it, much exceed the average height, as Surkunda 9,271 feet, rising 
immediately above the N.E. angle of the Deyra valley; Kedarkanta, the peak of 
the ridge separating the Tonse and Jumna rivers, was ascertained geometrically 
to be elevated 12,689 feet. Barometrical observations since made by M. Jacquemont 
give the height 12,756 feet. Changshill, separating the Pabur and Roopin rivers, 
is 12,871; and Uchalaroo, a peak of the ridge which rises between the Jumna 
and Bhagirethi rivers, is elevated 14,302 feet, or 2,500 above the limit of forest, 
and on which only a few patches of snow remain unmelted in the month of Sep- 
tember. Whartoo, connected with the Choor by a ridge which runs southerly, 
separating the waters of the Pabur and Tonse from those of the Giree (the only 
river of any note which does not originate in the snowy chain), is elevated 10,673 
feet. The Choor, ‘‘ the highest central point in the lower belt of mountains, sending 
out ridges, spurs, and ramifications, in every direction,” is a conspicuous object from 
whatever point it is viewed, and being only 3° 25’ 05” to the westward of north, at a 
distance of sixty-one miles from the principal station, Saharunpore, in the plains, was 
admirably adapted for the second, or northern station. Its summit is upwards of 11,000 
feet higher than the station at Saharunpore, or 12,149 feet above the level of the 
sea. The actual station is 10,676 feet higher than that at Belville. Respecting the 
difference of level Colonel Hodgson makes the very interesting remark, that by 
cotemporary observations with two barometers by Lieutenant Herbert on the Choor, 
and himself at Saharunpore, the result was only fifty-two feet less than the true 
geometrical height, which Colonel Hodgson is inclined to ascribe to chance; but it 
will probably be found another instance of his and Captain Herbert's extreme 
accuracy, as the mean of the barometrical observations which I made on the same 
spot, approach within sixty-two feet of the geometrical height 11,689 feet assigned 
to the station in the survey. The series of snowy peaks, forming what Colonel 
Hodgson calls the Southern or Hither Himalaya, and which separate the feeders of the 
Sutlej from the sources of the various branches of the Roopin, Pabur, and Andrytie, were 
found to be elevated from 16,982 to 19,512 feet, and the passes which from the river 
beds lead between, and are flanked by these peaks, from 15,000 to 16,000 feet. The 
three peaks of the mountain standing between the sources of the Roopin and Tonse were 
found to vary from 20,501 to 20,688. The Jumnotri Peaks or Bunderpooch Mountains, 
whence the Tonse (the largest river), the Jumna and Berai Gunga, have their rise, 
range from 20,122 to 21,155 feet of elevation. At Jumnotri, or the hot springs of the 
temperature of 194°, near the sources of the Jumna, Colonel Hodgson found the baro- 
meter stood at 20°48 inches, which, taking 30:04 inches for the level of the sea, gave 
him 10,489 feet as the height of these springs. Subsequent observers have given 10,500 - 
as their elevation, which is a near approximation. The bed of snow which covers the 
c " stream, 
